In October 2022, champions of locally led development applauded the release of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Local Capacity Strengthening Policy, an overdue turn in the right direction and a significant step in acknowledging that community groups and stakeholders are central to sustainable development.
Locally led development demands that funders and international intermediaries loosen the reins on their funds and partnerships. This releasing of control can feel risky, and the USAID policy acknowledges some key points about risk: that programmatic needs and potential benefits should shape risk assessment, and that risk mitigation must not be misconstrued as capacity strengthening.
But perhaps its most powerful statement on risk appears as a caveat to risk mitigation activities:
About the author
Kimberly McClain
Kimberly McClain co-leads Global Fund for Children’s grant-making, capacity development, and integrated programming in the Americas. McClain has extensive expertise in grassroots development and social change processes spanning four continents, and over 15 years of experience working with local and international development organizations.
